


Bound By LOVE

by Fandomstuck_Is_Life



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Errortale, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Underswap, Coercion, F/F, F/M, Gaslighting, Graphic depictions of violence and suffering, Haphephobia will not be present in this story. I understand that Error!Sans retains this phobia, Hostage Situations, Kidnapping, M/M, Multi, Murder, Non-consensual incidents as well as ones with dubious consent, Sexual harassment (focuses more on emotional violation aspect rather than physical), Torture (ranges from physical to psychological at varying degrees), blackmailing, but for all sakes and pretenses, but it will not be present currently., it will not play a significant role here. It will be implied that he once had it through flashbacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-05-30 02:50:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6405757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandomstuck_Is_Life/pseuds/Fandomstuck_Is_Life
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life could not have been simpler for the Benson brothers. With a promising career and slowly prospering ambitions, neither one of them can find much to be concerned about until tragedy struck their workplace. With the majority of Underwood HEART employees murdered, the older of the two brothers finds himself about to suffer the same fate, only for the younger one to declare a disastrous proposal which derails their lives as they know it completely. </p><p>Inspired by Loverofpiggies's Askerrorsans series and Underswapped's alternate universe, Underswap, Bound by LOVE is an AU of both, in which the humanized versions of the 'Swap skelebros and a certain glitchy alternate find their paths crossing, resulting in consequences neither of them could ever hope to imagine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. ~

_The light flickered overhead, shadows elongating throughout the room as the two stood there, never once breaking eye contact. Zachary glared at the younger one before him, nearly snarling now. "At the end of the day, what are we? Nothing. Nothing but useless, insignificant specks of dust. Don't you get it? There isn't any point! There never was!"_

_The brunette shook slightly as the other raised his voice, but forced himself to remain still as he curled his hands into fists by his side and met his lurid gaze squarely. "Y-You're wrong... There's always something worth fighting for. Our lives are meaningful and no one has any right to say so otherwise!"_

_There was a draft, though the windows were shut tight. Neither of the two spoke again until the noirette drove his knife downwards. A cry shattered the silence and Zachary grinned, dark eyes glittering as he stood over the other. "Perhaps, but nothing can stop us from ending it right?"_

_The younger one remained silent, gaze flickering to the embedded knife in the table which was driven inwards within an inch away from his hand. There were no words, nothing more needed to be said._

_Sam turned away, facing the barred window and stared out into inky darkness as it fell thickly and heavily upon the outside world. A world he knew he would never belong to again as a chuckle escaped the other and reverberated throughout the room, though remaining to him as distant and discordant under the deafening silence of the night..._


	2. Prologue

Red.

It was splattered across the sparkling tiles, congealing on a singular man's dark hoodie. His footsteps echoed in the hall, coming only to a stop when he noticed a small child who had crept out from behind the end of the corridor.

A grin twisted his features as he knelt down to the shrinking blonde, extending a hand to her and waited expectantly for the child to take it. The girl blinked, taking in the man's appearance, observing him silently for a moment before a smile broadened on their face and they clasped onto his fingers with a giggle.

His grin was the final image she saw before black spurted from within her soft eyes, blinding her and choking any sound she would have otherwise emitted.

The man chuckled and slowly extricated the blade from the girl's chest, careful to avoid stepping on the pool of garnet which began to seep out from underneath her warm body.

He had done well today. Mostly everyone had been eradicated.

Another part of this disgusting city was cleansed.

Smiling, he stood upright and held the knife to his lips, allowing his tongue to slide across the serrated edge of the blade. Iron, strong and tangy cloyed his senses. The absurdity of it all was absolutely exhilarating, though the taste was quite foul. He had only meant to clean his weapon too, not to necessarily enjoy the child's filthy essence.

Still, it can't be helped.

The man started off down the hallway, the warm sunlight which shone in through the windows remaining as the single silent witness to the "gift" he had bestowed upon the complex as he continued merrily on his way.


	3. A Beginning to An End

"-and there appears to be no sign of them yet. The police are currently investigating if the culprit had left behind any messages since they are reportedly known to have-"

 

The voice was cut off with a click of a remote, the television screen flashing instantly to black. "Honestly brother, it's no good to watch these sorts of violent things!" A young brunette stood behind a taller one who was lounging back on the sofa, legs propped up on the coffee table where several magazines lay haphazardly across the glass surface.

"It's the news, bro. It's educational!" The older of the two chuckled, reaching up to light the cigarette he held between his teeth, only to have it snatched out of his hand at once.

"As much as smoking is too, I bet! And put your feet down, you knocked over everything!" Samuel Benson resisted the urge to facepalm as he shoved his brother's legs off and quickly set to organizing the upset stack, straightening the flower vase while he was at it. "Relax Sammy, we haven't even opened yet." Peter Benson watched him, amused before getting up and stretching.

"I would be able to if you weren't busy lazing aro- and don't you dare let me catch you trying to smoke in here again! This has been, what, the tenth time I find you doing this?" The shorter of the two crossed his arms, eyes narrowed as he glared up at the other who only smiled despite his obvious fury. "Hehe, alright bro, I'll stop."

"Good! Now here, you can suck on this if you need something to occupy your mouth with so badly." Samuel reached up and removed the cigarette with no complication, switching it for an orange lollipop.

"There, and make sure to give these to the kids when they come too!" The taller brunette nodded obligingly, mumbling around the candy. "Okay and you're right bro, this is much better." Sam's eyes lit up as he grinned. "Of course it is! The magnificent, sensational Sam can always find a way to help his brother beat any bad habits of his!"

Peter ruffled his hair, ignoring the indignant squeal which escaped the smaller one. "Yeah, you're awesome bro. I'll be out front for a bit. Alice called earlier to let us know that she and Marilyn won't be able to make it today." Sam made his way over to the front desk and emptied a bag of lollipops inside a glass bowl, filling it to the brim before turning back. "Aw, still?"

"Yeah, but they'll be back sometime next week."

"Well, at least they called this time."

"Heh, instead of waiting until the last minute?"

"Yes! I was very worried! I thought they were eaten up by alligators or something!"

Peter gave his brother an amused look. "There aren't any gators in Arizona, Sam. If anything, they could have been snatched up by coyotes."

"That's even worse!"

The taller headed out, looking back as the sunlight spilled eagerly into the lobby. "Later bro." Sam grinned as he waved. "Okay, bye Peter!" The bell in the front jingled as the door fell shut, cutting off the excess light. Sam hummed as he began sorting through the manilla folders stacked on the desk. Life had taken quite a turn for them since their employment.

The people at Underwood HEART Association were a joy to be around, not to mention so were the kids they saw on a weekly basis. Many of them were brought to the clinic by their parents who were worried about the paths they chose to take, or didn't plan on taking at all. As life coaches in training, Sam and Peter had the opportunity to speak with the families as well as the kids who were alright with conversing separately from their parents.

Their employer Terri Dreesman and her husband Asher were the kind, lovely couple who had started the business together twenty years ago and though they have since divorced, Asher Dreesman still visited the building from time to time to show his continued support of both her and the business. It was through him that he and Peter were able to join the association and she readily accepted them both with open arms.

Sam continued to hum as he paused in his task when his gaze fell across the framed photograph on the desk of him, Peter, Terri, Asher and their friends Alice and Marilyn along with several other employees and a few of the children. The photo had been taken in the summer after the clinic decided to have a party to celebrate the anniversary of when the business first opened its doors.

 

" _I want to be a real therapist someday, Peter." Sam had imparted to him once they arrived home over a tray of tacos he had pulled out from the oven. "So we can stay and be able to help the kids!" His brother had removed his coat and hung it on the coat rack before heading over to the kitchen. "We already do, Sam."_

_He had moved around him and opened one of the top cabinets. "No, no, I mean really help! Like the way Alice and Marilyn does it." The shorter brunette had focused on layering the shells evenly with the condiments before laying each one out on a platter. "_

_"I'm sure you can do it, bro." Peter had smiled, leaning against the counter top as he squeezed some honey into his mouth. "We should both do it!" Sam had laughed and passed him on his way to the table._

_After some pushing, Peter had consented to wait until afterwards to enjoy his prized condiment in order to keep from spoiling his dinner and the two had sat together watching their favorite show amidst the soft blue glow from their television's scree-_

 

_Thunk_

 

Sam jolted, looking up and around the lobby. The office was still and silent save for the rustling of paper in his hands. He shrugged and returned to his task, resuming his humming.

 

_Thump_

 

It occurred again, sounding a little closer now from the hallway. Sam set down the files and moved out from behind the desk. "Peter?" He called out, glancing around.

There was no response.

"Maybe the kids arrived and are playing ball outside." The brunette managed a grin as he turned around- only to see a pair of blue strings rushing towards his face.

Before he could scream, a gloved hand shot out from behind him and clamped over his mouth, effectively muffling any sounds which had attempted to escape. "Hehe... This was too easy."

A voice, cold and unfamiliar chuckled lowly, Sam's eyes widening as the sharp blue threads around his wrists began to tighten.

"Now, here's how this is going to go down. In a moment, I will untie you and you will make a call to your brother to tell him to come inside. He's not going to know anything about me, otherwise these little blue strings of mine may just- oh, I don't know- slice into your wrists and slit open your veins. And you don't want that now, do you?"

The last part hardly sounded like a question and Sam shook his head rapidly. "Good boy." The strings loosened and the hand retracted itself. Sam took in a shaky breath and turned to face his assailant, a nervous grin forming on his face.

"U-Um, wait! C-Can't we just talk about this?" He took a step back as the figure in the shadow of the hallway seemingly froze. "Talk...? There is nothing to talk about." The figure growled and stepped out, revealing a noirette in a dark hoodie, a mask concealing half of his face. Blue lines were painted down the front from underneath the eyes to the top of his mouth, and his fingers twitched slightly, revealing blue strings which were tied and coiled around each appendage.

"Call your brother now, or I will kill you." His voice was devoid of emotion, eyes akin to chips of black ice. Sam stood there frozen for a moment before the sharp sting across his hand brought him back. Wincing, he reached for his phone and flipped it open, fingers fumbling as they worked to dial Peter's number.

The other man watched in silence as the phone was directed into voice mail, and Sam gave him a helpless look as he rolled his eyes. "Try again." The brunette swallowed hard, his heart in his throat as his call was answered on the third ring.

"Hey bro, what's up?"

Peter's voice, idle and at ease thrummed throughout the room. Sam was unable to respond for a moment before he noticed the sharp glare from the other man and regained control of his vocal chords. "Hello brother! I'm in need of your assistance, so could you come back inside? Please?"

His own voice rang out, coated in false cheerfulness as his eyes fixated onto the blue strings still looped around his wrists. "Alright, I'm coming." He could practically hear the others smile. "What happened? Couldn't reach the top filing cabinet again?"

"Peter, that's not funny!"

It really wasn't right now. Sam cast a nervous glance at the man who seemed anything but amused.

"Okay, okay. I'll be sure to bring a ladder next time." His brother laughed, blissfully unaware. Sam forced a chuckle in response, shifting slightly from one foot to the other. "Yeah, you do that!" The call ended and before he could slip his phone back into his pocket, it was knocked away from him and he found his hands tightly bound again.

"That wasn't too hard, was it?" The other was grinning as he curled his fingers inward and Sam bit back a whimper as the threads dug into his skin. "Y-Yeah, nothing's too difficult for the magnificent, sensational Sam!" The words were hollow, but he managed to plaster on a wide smile. "I-I thought you wanted me to do something much harder than that, but it turns out I was lucky, right?"

For a moment, the others grin dissipated. "What?"

"Y-Yeah, you know! Like uh, plant a bomb and stuff? Or uh, defuse one? Maybe eat cardboard or give you the password to my bank account?" Sam laughed nervously, not daring to break eye contact. "That doesn't make any sense." The other man frowned in consternation. "Why would you think that I will make you eat cardboard?" He shook his head.

"The bomb thing, okay, so is the password, but eating cardboard? Really? That's just stupid." Sam smiled, his laugh a genuine one now. "Right? That would be crazy!" The other couldn't help but chuckle and nod. "Yeah, it would."

He looked him over, taking in each detail of the other who had stopped laughing and forced himself to meet his gaze squarely with a bright grin despite the shiver which ran down his spine.

"Sam?"

Both heads turned and the man grinned darkly as the taller of the two brothers halted by the entrance, eyes hardening at the sight he was affronted with. "B-Brother!" Sam's eyes widened and he tried to reach out to him, only to be yanked back harshly by the strings. He let out a cry as they dug painfully into his wrists and he was slammed into the side of the desk.

The bowl fell to the floor, glass shattering as the lollipops spilled out across the tiles. Sunlight reflected off the transparent plastic and lit up the myriad of colorful fractured candy which lay broken within their wrappers.

"Now, now, no need to be so hasty." The assailant grinned and took a step forward. "What do you want from us?" Peter growled, clenching his hand into a tightly closed fist as the other approached. "To put it simply, your lives. Gone!" The man lashed his hand outwards, sending several strings flying forward and wrapping around the taller one's ankles, pulling back sharply and let him fall back with a loud crack.

His brother's pained yell snapped Sam out of his daze and he pulled himself upright, tears welling up in his eyes as he watched the man chuckle while sauntering over to the brunette, reaching a hand into his pocket before pulling out a knife.

Peter's eyes widened at this and he struggled to get back to his feet, but the threads held fast and the assailant slammed his foot down on his chest, knocking the wind out of him. Peter gasped, turning his head to the side so that his gaze met his brother's and gave a weakened cry. "S-Sam, run...!"

This earned him another blow and Sam staggered to his feet. "N-No, no, I'm not leaving you- I-"

"Bro, listen! He'll kill us both if you don't, just run!"

"N-No, I won't! I can't leave you like this, Pe-"

He was cut off as he was slammed into the wall this time, whimpering as he slid down against it, but was undettered as he pulled himself back upright- only to be yanked down again.

The man turned back to his brother, kicking him viciously and slamming his heel down repeatedly onto any part of his body that he could reach until the other's cries stopped, exchanging for whimpers and small sobs until they turned to silence.

Tears slid down Sam's face as he got back to his feet, struggling to stand upright as crimson stained the bright neon blue of the threads which kept his wrists bound as he screamed. "I-I'll make you a deal!"

The man turned slowly, looking back at the shorter brunette kneeling on the floor, blood littering the tiles. "What?" He nearly snarled but Sam pressed on despite the panicked look on his brother's face as he lay still, splayed out on the ground. "I-I said I'll make you a deal..." Sam winced and bit back a cry as the strings tightened mercilessly.

"K-Kill me, but not my brother. I-I'd give you the password to my bank account and my PIN number!" Peter groaned and tried to shake his head, eyes wide and horrified, but the other was steadfast. "P-Please, just spare him!"

Silence. Then, a low chuckle which escalated into hysterical laughter. Sam cringed away and Peter could only look on in despair as the fit of mirth finally came to an end, and the man was left grinning widely. "Well, isn't that just sweet! You're willing to give up your own life to save him? Your terrible good-for-nothing bro?"

Sam frowned, grimacing at the sharp sting in his hands. "Of course. He's the only family I've got and he's the best brother anyone in the world could ever ask for." The grin disappeared and the man took a few steps towards him, making the other shrink back. "You want to die?"

"N-No, but I'm willing to if it means you'll spare him!" Sam swallowed hard as the man made his way over to him, trying to will his shaking to stop but to no avail.

"... Heh, alright then."

He stopped in front of Sam, eyes flashing with malice as he raised his knife, the glint of metal flashing in the light of the lobby as he tightened his hold on the strings. "Say goodnight~!" The brunette swallowed hard as he forced himself to meet his gaze, tears running down his face as he smiled weakly.

"I... I-I know you're good. Somewhere, deep down inside, you must be feeling so much pain for you to be doing this... Right?" The serrated edge of the blade faced him and he continued. "To be willing to hurt others, to want to end lives, surely you must have been suffering alone for a really long time. T-That's okay, I understand! Sometimes the nicest people can be pushed into doing some really mean things if they weren't shown kindness."

"It's alright though, because you can always change!" Sam glanced at his brother who remained speechless, a small sad smile playing on his lips as his little brother returned it, albeit nervously.

There was a pause, a moment of hesitation. The knife hovered by the man's head, the strings still burning into the shorter one's wrists. Then, they laxed and the blade lowered. Sam fought back an uneasy grin as he took this opportunity to take a step towards the other, ignoring the strings as they brushed against his abraised skin and managed to hold his arms out.

"I believe in you, I know you're just lonely and may want a friend!" The man's eyes widened and their assailant moved back. The brunette only followed him until the other nearly ran into his brother who was watching in dead silence, keeping still.

"We can talk about this, you know? It doesn't have to end with either of us dying or even being arrested!" Sam smiled, eyes bright. "I promise we won't report you, so you have nothing to worry about." From the look on Peter's face, he knew that the other evidently understood what he was doing and didn't question it. The man frowned before a grin formed on his face.

"Heh... You're right..." He moved back further until he was standing beside Sam's brother, feet resting mere inches from his head. "You're not going to report me." The man yanked down hard on the strings, bringing the brunette down onto his knees before turning and launched a swift kick at the others head, knocking him out cold.

Sam bit down hard on his tongue, tasting blood as the force of the impact jarred his knees and he rolled over onto his side, clutching at them and prayed that the bone within wasn't shattered as the man's shadow fell upon him.

The last Sam saw of the clinic was his brother's motionless figure and the man's dark grin before darkness assailed his vision, casting out all else and his senses dulled as they gave into waves of unconsciousness before being submerged beneath its depths.

 


	4. White, White and More White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The place where you came from ain't there any more, and where you had in mind to go is cancelled out,"
> 
> -Arnold Friend from Joyce Carol Oate's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been"

He was assaulted by white, stark and incandescent white which penetrated his vision upon being awoken from his involuntary slumber. Samuel blinked, pulling himself upright as he gazed at the blank space. The blue strings coiled around his wrists were still there, offering resistance as he tugged at them experimentally but they were as unyielding as the four walls he knew he was concealed in despite not being able to distinguish where the corners of the room met, or the brevity of its width. 

The brunette rose silently, placing one foot before the other tentatively as he began at length to go about the room, his gait wavering and unbalanced as if a pair of wings, newly grown, bore him down and was solely to blame for his unsteadiness.

He ran his palm alongside what he surmised was the wall behind him, fingers brushing what he presumed was white washed plaster as he continued alongside, the only sound permeating throughout the small space being the soft shuffling of his footsteps. Samuel paused once he found himself soon back where he started, his venture quickly coming to an end. 

The room was bare, save for him and the small adjoining room off to the far side of the wall which he had come across quite by accident when a gentle push against the plaster had parted an opening in the wall, providing access to this inner chamber. Feeling the glimmer of triumph upon such a discovery, the brunette was quick to enter it and find that it retained simple washroom facilities. It was a fortunate discovery indeed.

At present, he was once again seated upon the white floor, fingering the soft blue cloth of the bandanna he still had wound around his neck. It was presented to him as a gift a month ago by one of the children who frequented his workplace and Samuel had accepted it graciously, vowing to treasure it which broadened the already wide smile on the child's face. He certainly made good on that promise, having worn it ever since and with pride. 

It was but a simple representation of the goodwill which was readily provided in Underwood Heart and he couldn't imagine himself being happier working elsewhere. Samuel reached back, carefully untying the bandanna before pulling it free and held it in his hands. The hue of this simple piece of apparel was a stark contrast to the blandness of the room and thus alluring, a single fragment of the sky amidst impenetrable whiteness. He removed his name tag next, weighing it in the palm of his hand as if testing its worth though it consisted of nothing more but plastic and a small slip of paper concealed within. 

Around him, the silence seemed to echo throughout the room and Samuel pocketed the name tag before tying the bandanna back on before curling back up on the ground and gave himself to the welcome stasis of sleep where he could, for a little while more, pretend he was back home within familiar walls where the absence of color was not as disquieting as it is now.

 


	5. Blue

It was cold in the darkened room and Samuel shivered, arms wrapped tightly around himself from where he remained huddled in a corner. The room was stark white throughout the day, twin fluorescent light bulbs overhead being the sole reason it wasn't swallowed by black, for there were no windows and his captor didn't turn the lights on in the hallway outside the door at night. Time was impossible to keep track of but he refused to simply give in to temptation and give up, settling for scratching a small line into the base of the wall with a nail. Fortunately, it wasn't too difficult to make a slight indentation into the weaker parts of the plaster and he referred to this archaic calendar whenever his boredom persisted. 

Today was approximately the third day, at least he surmised this through the occasional lights being turned on and off outside the hall. He has been locked away within the white room for quite some time now, that was certain and unfortunately wasn't left undisturbed. Samuel clutched onto his bandanna, fingers digging into the smooth blue fabric as he burrowed his face into it. His wrists were sore, abrasions clearly present if one were to snatch his hands and hold it up to the light. Fortunately they weren't visible in the dark, though the ones around his throat very well may been for all its constant throbbing. Samuel closed his eyes and allowed himself to recall the events which had transpired earlier on in the day...

_He was contemplating on finding a way to open the door from within , despite knowing that any attempt to do so would be absolutely futile. The brunette wasn't one to simply sit around though, waiting for hours on end in silence while being idle. No, he was always up and about, rushing to and fro without fail. If anything, Peter was the one who took great pleasure in napping and spending as little energy as possible regardless of what he was in the midst of doing or where he went. It irked his little brother undoubtedly to no end who saw this as a complete and utter waste of time._

_Samuel blinked as he looked up from his makeshift journal when the lock clicked in the door and he swiftly swept the papers aside, sitting erect as his captor stepped inside the room. He went by the name of "Error", whether it was a simple alias or what the other presumed to be his name by birth, Sam didn't know. He hadn't questioned him on its origin either way, not knowing- and not wanting- to know how his captor would take such an inquiry._

_Would he think it rude were he to ask? Probably not, but it would be wise to take precaution and simply avoid the topic altogether. "Error" was grinning behind his mask- he could tell this from the way his eyes seemed to crinkle at the corners from the pull of muscle in his face- and Samuel managed a weak one in return._

_"How are you doing, Blueberry?"_

_Oh right, another thing about this "Error". He was quite fond of nicknames and assigning them. Consequently, he resolved to addressing the brunette by the name of "blueberry". Reason? Nothing more than for the apparent "sweet" and "innocent" aura he seemed to emit. According to "Error", he practically radiated blissful ignorance and cheerfulness despite being locked up, but that was hardly his fault. Since his abduction, Samuel had found himself quite at a loss._

_Sure, he's seen movies where the hostages use wit and charm to aggravate their captors, but he wasn't doubtful that any attempt to fight back against Error would surely result in a far worse fate than the one he was presumably laying out for him now. So he remained his happy, bubbly self, choosing to divert his attention from all else save for his captor who was watching him with a gaze that was far from showing any signs of amiability._

_"I'm doing pretty okay, all things considering!" He chuckled, not caring if it was forced. Smiling itself was an arduous task now but he refused to let it go- it was all he had left of himself- of some semblance of happiness now that he was locked away. "Error" frowned, those blue threads he was so fond of manipulating dangling from his fingers. Within an instant, they were wound around the brunette's throat and he was yanked forward with a startled cry, nearly crashing into the taller noirette._

_"Are you now?" The inquiry was made more for the sake of pretense than out of any actual care, which the other made apparent by the further tightening of the already painful constraints. Samuel bit back a whimper as he was forced roughly onto his knees, wincing as his knee caps collided into the hard floor and kept his gaze lowered as the other stood stonily above, the same disquieting grin replacing his earlier grimace._

_"I think we should play a game." "Error" casually intertwined his fingers with a separate strand of string. The brunette glanced up, managing a meek smile. "O-Oh, I love games! What are we going to play?" His breath hitched as the threads further constricted his throat, choking the younger male effectively._

_"Error's" grin faltered momentarily before regaining strength and he yanked his arm back, sidestepping so that the brunette collided into the tiles rather than onto him. "Hmm... How about..." The taller noirette's gaze darkened in the pallid light, fixing onto the others wide and tear filled eyes. "Let's see how much the Blueberry can take before he begs me to show him mercy."_

What followed soon after, the brunette quickly dismissed from memory, a hand reaching up to rub at the sharp red lines, indentations clear and tender from where they were carved into the surface of his skin from the tightness of those fierce blue strings. Despite the evident soreness, Sam carefully adjusted his bandanna which was rumpled from the assault.

He had endured for a few moments before the urge to cry out could no longer be suppressed, a small sob quickly being forced from him despite the agonizing stricture of his captor's threads, pleading for him to stop. It was only then when the other retracted them, his mocking laughter and comments barely reaching the other who had been writhing about, unable to hear nor see through the haze of pain before he departed from the room.

Tomorrow will be a better day. Sam rubbed at his eyes before curling up on the ground, shifting slightly as he struggled to find a comfortable position before giving up and simply lay there unmoving, save for the tears which slid down his cheeks.

Tomorrow will be a better day.

It has to be.

 


	6. Absconsa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Absconsa"
> 
> Definitions:  
> Hidden, secret, concealed, unknown.
> 
> Source: L.F. Stelten, "Dictionary of Eccles. Latin", 1995 (Ecc)

It was night.  
  
Zachary Tanner had returned shortly after extinguishing several flickering flames in the cover of shadow below the main bridge leading into the next city. Such feeble little ones they were! Neither screamed as he descended upon them. It was simple, delightful even to ensnare the ragged children and their floundering mother who had pleaded for him to do what he will to her, but to spare the piteous abominations she had borne forth into this already wretched world.  
  
He was tempted to see her reaction as he tore their meek lives asunder, allow blue to spill so, so much red as she screamed and wailed from absolute heartbreak. Zachary had decided to finish her off first however before doing off with her crying offspring.  
  
Tonight, he had far more important errands to run. There was the premiere of a new episode for his favorite soap opera which only played around 7:00 to 8:00 PM on one of the few channels which were available on his television set. He recorded each one to re-watch whenever he so pleases and thus found it far from his convenience to miss out on the newly released ones, even if it meant having to sacrifice a bit of pleasure during work.  
  
Ah well, he supposed it was worth it. Besides, he had greater matters to deal with besides the two at hand.  
  
Zachary headed into the kitchen, the only barrier between it and the living room being the counter which stretched out parallel to the rundown stove, refrigerator and sink. It was modest living, no doubt, but Zachary wasn't concerned with it. In contrast to his previous quarters, this long since abandoned cabin complete with a run down mill made an ideal place for one who sought seclusion from the garish lights and noises from the city. Constructed sometime between the late 70s and 80s, it had been worn down and over-strewn with weeds until he had come across it a few months back. With time and patience, he had cleared most of the growth and restored the decrepit interior into a satisfactory den.  
  
The noirette fished inside his pockets, removing two candy bars and slid one onto the shelf where an egg carton was usually fitted but remained barren for quite some time. Giving a quick once over before leaving, he strode down the hallway, turning a corner before unlocking a door at the end.  
  
Light spilled in from the corridor, brightening up the darkened space inside and the curled up figure on the floor. He looked up, bleary eyed and quickly averted his gaze as the other made his way towards him, slightly cringing as he came to a stop before him. Zachary blinked, looking the smaller male over before he held out the bar. "Here." He too looked away now, frowning.  
  
The blueberry has been... Unusually quiet. Ever since a certain incident had taken place between them, he hadn't spoken to him at all. His eyes were glassy, what little light there was remained dim as if they refused to shine. He scarcely moved in the others presence, dared not to stir even the slightest bit if he felt his gaze fall upon him. It was unnerving, to say the least. To see this boy, so vibrant and obstinately "happy" having succumbed to the throes of despair was a cause for concern.  
  
Not that Zachary honestly cared for him, no. It simply wouldn't be ideal to play with a broken toy, is all. This definitely refuted his earlier hypothesis, in which he believed tormenting one without a will to live will be the ultimate satisfaction. It was greatly entertaining in the beginning, at least, his recollection could affirm as much.  
  
_"First, the plants have to be harvested. Yucca and Dogbane are the most ideal."_  
  
_The tip of the knife dipped downwards, drawing a small whimper from the brunette as the other continued. "Once you've gathered them together, lay them out on a flat surface." The blade slid, splitting open his taut skin and Samuel let out a cry, twisting in his bonds. "Now, you take a rock and open up the stems." Another small slit was made, a quarter of an inch beside the first one. Tears slid down freely and the brunette sobbed, writhing in place._  
  
_"Separate the fibers into equal parts..." The noirette paused for a moment, withdrawing the blade before giving the other a manic grin. "You got all that so far, Blueberry?" Samuel managed a weak nod, biting down hard on his tongue as the other pressed the knife against a part of his arm which hadn't been made to suffer just yet, drawing another line of scarlet from the pale limb. "Good. Let's continue~"_  
  
_The brunette screamed as the blade dug into an earlier made wound, opening it up again with ease. It wept openly, garnet spilling forth and splattering onto the white floor. Zachary chuckled, easily winding a new string around the incision before pulling the ends tight, drawing an agonized cry from his little blueberry as he trashed about._  
  
_"There now, isn't that better?" The noirette flashed the other a dark grin. "This should keep you from making too much of a mess." Samuel whimpered once he had fallen still, his wrists sore and rubbed raw from his incessant struggling. Tears ran profusely down his face which was twisted in pain as he forced himself to meet the others gaze as he drew the blade upwards._  
  
_"W-Wh-hy...?"_  
  
_His movements stilled. The blade was lowered._  
  
_"W-Why are y-you doing this...?"_  
  
_The bloodied brunette's voice was soft, barely above a whisper as he fought to keep his voice from trembling._  
  
_"A-Are you mad? Did s-someone upset you e-earlier?"_  
  
_Zachary blinked, taken aback. "What does that have to do with-"_  
  
_"E-Everything!"_  
  
_He stopped as the other cut him off immediately. "I-If someone hurts you, it'll obviously make you feel bad! S-So, you might be doing this because you want to take your anger out on someone else, right?" Crimson shone on the floor and continually dripped down the length of Samuel's arms from the incisions made. "I'm sure... I'm sure you just need an outlet. B-But purposely inflicting pain this way... You're also hurting yourself too, you know?"_  
  
_The knife fell with a clatter and Zachary reeled back as if slapped. "W-What are you-"_  
  
_"I-It's not okay to hurt people, e-even if you're really mad! There are better ways to deal with anger, you just have to try different things and see what works best for you."_  
  
_Samuel forced a smile, tears continuing to slide down his cheeks. "I-I can help you, if you let me. It's what I do best anyways! Helping people... It's the greatest gift we can give to the world." The blood seeped into the threads keeping him tightly bound, staining the fresh cordage._  
  
_"What are your favorite hobbies? How often do you do the things that make you happy? All this can help you feel much better, no matter which mood you're in." The noirette nearly stumbled as he stepped back, incredulous as he was affronted by the warmth of the others eyes._  
  
_"S-Stop it..." The smile hadn't left the other and Zachary growled. "Stop doing that...!" When the brunette still hadn't shifted his expression, the taller male drew his leg back and slammed his foot into the smaller one's rib cage, forcing out a sharp cry. "Quit smiling, stop acting so- s-so..."_  
  
_He paused, watching the brunette as he crumpled over, sobbing and tried to curl into himself to the best of his ability._  
  
_"... So kind..."_  
  
_Zachary mumbled pathetically before moving away. "I've wasted enough time with you." The words seemed poisonous, bitter as he snatched the knife off the floor, pocketing it before heading out of the room. Samuel gave no response as he kept his head turned away and wept, shaking. The noirette cast him a last, lingering look before leaving the room and allowed the small figure to be swallowed up by the darkness again._  
  
"Hey..."  
  
Zachary nudged the huddled figure with his foot, albeit gently this time. "Let me see your arms for a moment." If the brunette heard, he made no effort to show it and simply remained still. The taller male sighed and left the room, leaving the bar behind before returning with a first aid kit in hand. He opened up the box and dampened a piece of cloth with alcohol, checking to ensure everything would be readily available as needed before he turned back to his prisoner.  
  
"Get up." There was a moment of hesitation before Samuel carefully unfurled himself from where he was curled up tight on the floor, pulling himself upright all the while keeping his head bowed, gaze lowered.  
  
Well, he supposed this was good enough. Zachary grabbed an uninjured part of the others right arm, checking it over. The blood had congealed, the wounds partially closed. Violent red lines marked the area where roughened fibers had nearly seared away the skin and he almost regretted having bound the other at all. Almost.  
  
Thinking quickly, he reached around and yanked the smaller male forward by the back of his collar, forcing him to lie flat on the ground before resting his arms on his back. Samuel yelped and tried to brace himself for the impact, but the other caught him and only crushed him steadily into the floor, keeping him pinned in place.  
  
He tried to twist his head around but was forced to lie still as several strings bound him together by the ankles before the weight of the other male settled on him, pressing down firmly on his back.  
  
Kneeling with one foot resting atop the brunette, Zachary took a tight hold of his right arm and brushed the cloth across the first cut he had made. The reaction was instantaneous.  
  
Samuel screamed, wailing as he writhed in place, the others weight effectively holding him in place as the rest of the wounds were taken care of in quick succession before the noirette carefully wound bandages around the length of his arm and set it down before working on the other.  
  
He was done in no time at all and moved off of the brunette who, after a time, realized what his intentions were and struggled to remain still, whimpering and biting back wails whenever a fresh bout of pain was brought forth from the rag. Zachary had remained silent throughout it all, focused on the task at hand to prevent any careless mistakes from being made as he dressed the wounds, keeping the wrappings snug and not so tight as if to prevent blood flow.  
  
Samuel was once again curled against the wall as the noirette turned his attention to the stained floor, now scrubbing at the splotches of blood vehemently as the other drifted halfway between a state of consciousness and sweet repose.  
  
Once the darkened spots had faded considerably from the taller male's efforts, the room was cleared and the chocolate bar retrieved from where it lay dejected in the other side of the room. Zachary sank down on the ground beside the smaller one and shoved the bar into the others face.  
  
Silence continued to lapse and the noirette nearly drew away again when he heard the soft crinkle of the wrapper. The brunette slowly and hesitantly closed his fingers around the end of the bar and carefully extricated it from the others hand, murmuring a quiet thanks before moving to his other side and lay still again.  
  
Zachary released his hold immediately on the chocolate once he registered that the other had accepted the gift, a small smile forming on his face before it was replaced by a hard line. Why was he smiling now? There was nothing amusing or entertaining about any of this. The little blueberry was evidently more trouble than he's worth, that's for sure. So why is he keeping him?  
  
_"I believe in you, I know you're just lonely and may want a friend!"_  
  
Friends, huh...?  
  
The taller male glanced back over at the brunette. Did he honestly mean that, or did he simply declare such a thing solely in the hopes that his life would be spared? Zachary leaned his head back and closed his eyes. It was impossible to tell...  
  
The silence which pervaded the room was welcoming, the golden light which puddled the entrance still bright and glowing, illuminating their features and lit up the darkened corners. Zachary lingered a moment longer, resting alongside his blueberry who had at last drifted off into a place where no harm may follow and pain held no grounds, while he himself rested amidst the black tranquility which seemed to overcome him.  
  
He lost track of the time and found himself awakened by the gentle nudges of the slumbering male and stood, his body akin to lead as he made his way to the door. The sheen of light was cut off by the flick of a switch and the door softly closed as if he dared not disturb the others sleep. The time of the clock on his phone read 11:01 PM. Ah, he had missed his program after all. Strangely, he thought not much of it as he rolled onto his couch, closing his eyes once more.  
  
He could watch it later, perhaps stay in for the entirety of the day. Yes, that would be wonderful. It was a certainly a far more appealing thought than having to clean up more dirty "glitches" in the city.  
  
Daybreak found him yet awake despite his earlier intention of sleeping and Zachary simply lay there, staring up at the cracked ceiling overhead and watched as the creeping shadows of the night slowly gave way to the warm sheen of sunlight which filtered in through the barred windows.  
  
It was only then when the morning had fully overtaken the perpetual gloom of night that the noirette found his eyelids growing heavy again, falling into a restful sleep as birds' melodies were carried swiftly yet softly throughout the wide, flowing breeze almost as if it had traversed through water before making its way into the cabin, a soothing balm for those of hardened hearts whether they were willing to be accepting of it or not.


End file.
